new year's resolutions: lose the wait

The ringing in of the New Year brings with it a lot of things: excitement about fresh starts, good football games, and of course, resolutions. But the New Year also means long waiting lines at my gym. You see, the gym always fills up the first week of January with people wanting to lose weight. But I don’t worry because the crowd usually thins out around the middle of February. 

Most of the people who resolve to lose weight give up by the Spring. But you don’t have to be that way.

See, you can make a resolution to lose the WAIT that you can keep all year long. What do I mean? Glad you asked. 

LOSE THE WAIT when it comes to planning. 

Be ahead of the game with each event you have planned this year. If needed, put a TO DO list up on your wall with all the things that have to be done for each youth activity such as booking dates, sending in deposits, organizing rooming lists, collecting money, securing vehicles, etc. Make this the year you stay ahead in your planning and don’t WAIT to take care of important plans for your ministry.

LOSE THE WAIT when it comes to encouraging someone.

When it comes to speaking an encouraging word to a student or a worker in your youth program, don’t wait another day. We’ve all had that that feeling like we need to say something to someone but often we put it off. Don’t wait this year. If the Holy Spirit prompts you say a kind word or even a thank you, LOSE THE WAIT and do it.

LOSE THE WAIT when it comes to keeping your students’ parents informed as to what is going on in your ministry. 

With single-parent homes and students attending multiple churches, it is harder than ever to simply touch base with a parent. Be creative and stay in touch using your social media, messaging, and regular media options as well as the as the good old personal phone call. Parents love to know what is going on in your program so keep them informed.

DON’T LOSE THE WAIT when it comes to your relationship with God. 

Isn’t it strange that we will wait to plan, wait to encourage, and wait to inform parents but when it comes to God we hurry through our time with Him. We find these words in Isaiah 40:31, “But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” Theologian John Gill said that the presence of God is something that is certainly worth waiting for and the waiting on God experience will actually rejuvenate our souls. 

Happy 2013! I hope you LOSE THE WAIT and find greater joy in your work. But if you learn to wait on God, you will experience the ultimate joy of the Lord.